Home is Where One Starts...

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Home is Where One Starts... is a short, first-person exploration game that tells a poignant story about childhood, hope, and memory. It draws inspiration from the rural American South and literature like John Steinbeck's East of Eden and Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life. The game features a quiet, non-linear narrative and can be completed in 15-30 minutes, with a focus on atmosphere rather than action or puzzles.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 342 reviews

story55 positive mentions

replayability5 negative mentions

Beautiful graphics and calming atmosphere that evoke nostalgia.
Engaging voice acting and well-written narration that adds depth to the experience.
Short but impactful story that resonates emotionally with players.

Extremely short gameplay, often completed in under 30 minutes, leaving players wanting more.
Limited interactivity with few objects to examine, leading to a feeling of emptiness.
Invisible walls and slow walking speed can hinder exploration and immersion.

story
255 mentions
22 % positive mentions
76 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The game's story is a poignant yet sparse exploration of childhood memories, focusing on a girl from a broken home. While many players appreciate the emotional depth and atmospheric presentation, they often criticize the brevity and lack of detailed storytelling, feeling that the narrative could have been more engaging with additional context and character development. Overall, it offers a touching experience, but its short length and minimalistic approach leave some players wanting more.
- “A beautifully designed game where you can relax and experience the childhood story of someone else, with your own eyes.”
- “The story is a short but sweet and told via several voiceovers that can be found scattered all over the map.”
- “It's a nice simple game with a vague story behind it.”
- “The story is very sparse and feels unfinished, but the gorgeous outdoor setting is pleasant to explore and spend time in.”
- “Unfortunately, it just doesn't have any depth beyond 'sad home, alcoholic dad/absent mom, kid wants to leave.' As other reviewers have mentioned, the interactive items are scarce and don't provide much, if any, insight into the story or characters.”
- “There isn't really any story to speak of, and what 'story' there is is flat, cliched, and predictable.”
music
76 mentions
54 % positive mentions
41 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to create a calming atmosphere, enhancing the emotional depth of the story. While many players find the soundtrack soothing and fitting for the game's themes, some note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the combination of music, voice acting, and visuals contributes to a nostalgic and immersive experience, despite criticisms regarding the game's length and interactivity.
- “The music is soothing, calm, and very pretty and fits the atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing and the narration is one of the best I've experienced, mixing with the atmosphere it gives you a fantastic feeling of nostalgia.”
- “The music fits and you can feel a little bit how the life of the little girl had been.”
- “This is a 30-minute game with no ability to save, where you wander around a big empty area full of repetitive textures, with the same song loop repeating over and over. While calming at first, it gets tiring after the first 10 minutes.”
- “The soundtrack could have been longer; it's the same dull music over and over and over.”
- “Things that I did not like about this game included a very short music drone loop with no volume control settings, which made the experience less enjoyable.”
graphics
66 mentions
52 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the beautiful visuals and atmospheric lighting, particularly for an indie title from 2015. However, many also note limitations, such as outdated graphics reminiscent of older games, occasional glitches, and a lack of detail that detracts from the overall experience. While the graphics contribute positively to the game's mood, they are often described as serviceable rather than exceptional.
- “I've played multiple runs simply because I loved the atmosphere generated by the visuals, the sound effects, and the story of this game.”
- “The game is really relaxing, and the graphics are amazing, as well as the lighting.”
- “Beautiful game, shame it's so very short. The graphics are top quality, the music is nice, and the narration adds a nice element to it.”
- “First thing first, the graphics and world really let this game down.”
- “The graphics are oddly primitive for a 2015 game that is all about setting the mood in one small area.”
- “This game is limited even if it offers exploration, with its invisible walls everywhere and frankly the visuals aren't that nice or too appealing to give you that desire to stop and admire the look.”
atmosphere
52 mentions
65 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful visuals, calming soundtrack, and evocative storytelling, creating a nostalgic and melancholic experience that resonates with players. Many reviews highlight the effective use of sound effects and voice acting, which enhance the emotional depth of the narrative. While some note minor technical issues, the overall consensus is that the game successfully delivers a short yet impactful atmospheric journey.
- “I've played multiple runs simply because I loved the atmosphere generated by the visuals, the sound effects, and the story of this game.”
- “The detailed woodland, amazing voice work, great atmosphere, and secrets sprinkled throughout all add up to a gorgeous little exploration game.”
- “The soundtrack is amazing and the narration is one of the best I've experienced, mixing with the atmosphere to give you a fantastic feeling of nostalgia.”
- “I feel this game failed to suck me in with any atmosphere and the fact that it cost almost half of what Dear Esther does (when not on sale), a game that has more land to explore, greater atmosphere, better narration, and more interesting visuals just makes me unable to call this a worthy purchase.”
- “The only thing this game has going for itself is the fairly soothing and melancholic atmosphere, which it manages to pull off despite the outdated graphics.”
- “It has that same tone and atmosphere but it's just not as mysterious or as emotional.”
emotional
46 mentions
98 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is described as a mixed experience, with many players finding it touching and relatable, particularly in its exploration of childhood memories and themes of home and family. While some reviewers appreciate the heartfelt narrative and calming atmosphere, others feel it lacks the depth and emotional impact of similar titles like "Gone Home" or "Dear Esther." Overall, it is seen as a short but meaningful journey that resonates with players who value subtle storytelling and emotional reflection.
- “A very short but heartwarming adventure.”
- “Touching little indie experience about remembrance, letting go of memories and the place you call home.”
- “A great emotional journey through the memories of a young girl living at home with her father.”
- “The one good thing I would say about this game is the voice actress has a very compassionate voice and does her best at trying to put emotion and feeling into what is largely a bland and boring story.”
gameplay
26 mentions
19 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is primarily characterized as a "walking simulator," focusing on slow exploration with minimal interaction and mechanics, which many players find dull and lacking polish. While some appreciate the narrative and voice acting, the overall experience is hindered by a lack of engaging gameplay elements and a short duration, leading to mixed reviews regarding its replayability and enjoyment. Despite its artistic intentions, the gameplay often feels empty and underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more depth and action.
- “Well written, and there's a bit of collecting gameplay that ties in with the story in both spoken and visual ways.”
- “Gameplay mechanics are good for the genre; the sounds are crisp and realistic and the graphics work well.”
- “Home is where one starts sets the stage for a unique gameplay experience where players could have easily recaptured the long lost essence of their childhood.”
- “The scenery is below average, the world building is done only through stumbling upon voice recordings and even the gameplay is just playing hide and seek with random objects (you are it).”
- “Even as an inexpensive game, I cannot recommend this because the gameplay lacks polish, which takes away from the fun of exploring the little amount of game content that you would expect.”
- “This is one of those 'art' games that try to give you an interactive experience rather than offering gameplay and replayability.”
replayability
12 mentions
25 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
42 % negative mentions
Overall, the game has been criticized for its lack of replayability, with many users noting that it is short and offers little incentive to replay beyond achievement hunting. While some mention a minimal replay value, the consensus is that the game does not provide a compelling reason to revisit it after the initial playthrough.
- “Infinitely replayable.”
- “All in all, this game is so small that it could be played on the tiniest violin, so there is some replay value there.”
- “This is one of those 'art' games that try to give you an interactive experience rather than offering gameplay and replayability.”
- “No replay value though.”
- “It's short; I beat the game in less than an hour. Now I'm going through it again to grab all the achievements, but other than that, there isn't much replayability.”
- “Since there is no branching or any sort of time-dependent events, the game lacks any replay value unless you’re looking for achievements.”
grinding
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often requiring extensive farming for items that have low drop rates, which artificially extends playtime. Additionally, the design choices, such as tall grass fields that obscure visibility, contribute to a frustrating search for objectives.
- “Grinding can be tedious.”
- “Don't let the hours played fool you; I was farming the cards, which only drop after 2 hours and so on.”
- “The game features artificial difficulty, increasing its playtime by including whole fields of tall grass that hinder visibility, requiring the player to search tediously for their next objective.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game features vibrant graphics but is marred by noticeable glitches, including occasional crashes and freezing issues, particularly on PC. While the overall experience is enjoyable, these stability problems suggest that further optimization is needed.
- “There are a few glitches that could use work - I occasionally walked through scenery, the game occasionally crashed, and it appears to freeze when attempting to close. This could be due to my only being able to play on PC and not owning an Oculus.”
- “The game offers some pleasant graphics and really vibrant colors, although there are some ugly glitches here and there. You can easily tell the game was made with the Unity engine.”
humor
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in games is often highlighted as a key element that enhances the overall experience, with titles like "The Stanley Parable" praised for their clever and engaging comedic elements. Players appreciate when games effectively blend humor with other tones, showcasing the medium's potential for artistic expression.
- “I enjoyed The Stanley Parable for its humor and bits to uncover.”
- “Either its tone be humorous, melancholic, or horrendous, great games follow the example of utilizing video games as a medium of art and experience.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of "The First Tree" is not explicitly discussed in the provided text, but the game's emotional depth and storytelling suggest that players may find value in its content, potentially justifying its price. Overall, the focus seems to be more on the game's narrative experience rather than its monetization strategy.